Improvement in toe-weights for horseshoes



A. J. PACKARD 8u C. P. HARRIS. Toe-Weight for Horseshoes.

No. 217,547. Patented luly15, 1879.

FIG.;

N. PETERS, FHOTO-LTHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEToEc y ADONIRAM J. PACKARD AND CHARLES P.HARRIS, OF HILLS FERRY, CAL.

IMPROVEMENT INI'IV'OE-WEIGHTSv FOR` HORSESHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,547, dated July 15,1879; application tiled May 20, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, ADONIRAM J. PACK- ARD and CHARLES l?. HARRIS, ofHills Ferry, county of Stanislaus, and State of California, haveinvented an Improved Toe-Weight; and we hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to an improved toeweight for horses, such as areused to reduce their gait to a measured pace.

Our improvements consist in providing a weight of such a shape as toadapt itself to any form ofhoof, to be used in combination witharelnovable clamp, of peculiar shape, so that the weightand clampare,when combined,selfbind ing, and no supplementary strap is necessaryto keep it in place, nor is it necessary to injure the hoof by cuttingto fix the clamp and weight to the hoof. In going from place to place,or when it is not desired to use the weight, not only the weight, butthe clamp also, may be removed, and the foot left free, with nothin gbut an ordinary recessed shoe upon it. Thus the shoes used with thisclamp and weight are not obstructed by fixed attachments, which are inthe way when the weight is not in use, but the whole can be removedwithout taking oft the shoe.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a hoofwith the toeweight attached. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.Fig. 3 shows the parts in detail.

Let A represent the hoof of a horse, and B the shoe, said shoe having aslot, a, cut at its center, as shown, on the upper side, so as to bebetween the shoe and hoof.

The clam p C is formed in a peculiar shape, with its upper front portioncurved and its lower horizontal portion beveled oli', as shown, andprovided with a lip, b.

On the lower end of the frontpart is formed a toe or shoulder, c, whichis curved, as shown, so as to t down over the front ot' theshoe, for thepurpose hereinafter described.

The weight D is made perfectly circular in form, and has its backhollowed or rounded, so as to correspond to the shape of the hoof. Infront is formed a curved slot, c, with its face beveled or curved, asshown, to correspond with' the shape of the front part of the clamp,which lits into said slot.

A threaded hole, d, is formed in the clamp, and a corresponding socket,d', is madein the weight, at the upper end of the slot, so that a bolt,s, may be screwed in to hold the weight and clamp together.

The slot at the toe of the shoe is cut through its upper portion, whileat the rear the iron is separated, as shown, so as to form a socket bythe band a coming over the top of the slot. This band is on the upperside of the shoe, and fits up into the hollow of the-hoof.

In the circular depression at the back of the weight is placed a pieceof rubber, g, so as to protect the foot from jar and the hoof fromcontact with solid substances.

The screw that passes through thc clamp and enters the socket in theweight does not pass through the weight, but only goes far enough tohold the weight in position.

To secure the weight in position, the beveled lipped portion ofthe clampis inserted through the slot until the lip comes out of the rear end ofthe socket. The weight is then dropped down between theupward-projecting portion of the clamp and the hoof, and the clamp fitsinto the beveled curved slot c. The weight is thus made self-binding, nomatter at what angle the horses foot may be, as the rubber on the backwill be more or less compressed, according to the shape of the foot.When the weight is dropped in behind the clamp the upper part of theclamp is thrown forward, and this throws the lip b up behind the offsetor band a', so that one part binds the other. The bolt is then screwedin, and a turn more or less will compress the rubber properly so as toaccommodate the weight to the shape of the horses foot, and it cannotget free of the clamp. Being self-binding, there will be no rattle orjar to the weight, which is firmly held in place by thepeculiarly-shaped clamp and the screw. The weight is solid, safe, andstrong, and not readilydisplaced,while no supplemental straps arenecessary to hold it in position.

The weight may be instantly removed without disturbing the shoe, thusenabling the driver to use the same Weight for several horses. The shapeand construction of the weight is specially designed for this, as it accommodates itself to any shaped hoof, as herein described. As the endofthe clamp passes through a hole punched in the shoe, there is lesscutting or burning of the hoof necessary than with common toe-weights,and no possible chance to in jure the foot in slioeing. As the kweightand clamp are readily removed they are not worn out in traveling, butcan be put in place in a moment when necessary.

Weights of different sizes may be vused with the saine clamps, ifdesired. Weights Weighing more or less, but with the saine beveled curvein front, will lit to any clamp. Being secured in the manner described,the weight cannot fly off the foot.

'It will be noticed that the clamp has a bearingI nearly the entirelength of the weight and holds it firmly, the weight not being merelysecured at one point alonea feature which would be objectionable in suchdevices.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The Weight D, having the hollowed back, provided with the rubberfacing g and the curved slot 0,'in combination with the clamp 5 C,having a curved upper portion, corresponding to the slot in the weight,and the horizoni'y tal portion, with its lip b, whereby the weight ismade adjustable and self-binding, substantially as herein described.

2. The removable clamp C, turned at right angles, with a lip, b, toe e,and bolt or nut s, fitted to hold the selwedging weight l), incombination with the slotted shoe B, with its band a', whereby the clampis joined to the slice and foot, but made removable, substantially asand for the purpose herein described.

3. The weight D, with its hollowed back and rubber facing g. curved slotc, and socket d', in combination with the clamp C, with its hole d, bolts, toe e, and having' the lip b, to engage with the band a in theslotted shoe, whereby the weight and clamp are secured t0 the foot ofthe horse, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

ADONIRAM JUDsoN PACKARD. V oHAnLEs PARsoNs HARRIs.

`Witnesses:

J. W. RoBIsoN, j

J. GORHAM.

